Event Notification Report for September 20, 2001
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
09/19/2001 - 09/20/2001
** EVENT NUMBERS **
38295 38296 38297 38298 38299
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 38295 |
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| FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/19/2001|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 09:00[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 09/19/2001|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 08:13[EDT]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 09/19/2001|
| CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |JOHN MADERA R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707002 |SUSAN FRANT NMSS |
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| NRC NOTIFIED BY: MIKE RICHIE | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE | |
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|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NONR OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| OFFSITE NOTIFICATION REGARDING AN OPACITY VIOLATION (4-hour Report) |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from Portsmouth |
| personnel: |
| |
| "At 0813 hours [on] 09/19/01, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency |
| (OEPA) was notified per Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3745-15-06(B) that an |
| opacity exceedance had occurred at the X-600 Steam Plant. The opacity |
| violation occurred on [the] #2 Boiler when our #2A Precipitator voltages |
| began to fluctuate. Operators adjusted load/air requirements on the #2 |
| Boiler in an effort to prevent further exceedances. [The] cause of the |
| voltage fluctuations has not been determined at this time." |
| |
| "This is reportable as a 4-hour NRC Event due to notification to an outside |
| agency (OEPA) being made per Nuclear Regulatory Reporting Procedure |
| UE2-PAE1030, Appendix D, Criteria P (Miscellaneous)." |
| |
| Portsmouth personnel notified the NRC resident inspector. |
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 38296 |
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| FACILITY: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC. |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/19/2001|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE PRODUCTION |NOTIFICATION TIME: 10:16[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: UF6 CONVERSION (DRY PROCESS) |EVENT DATE: 09/19/2001|
| |EVENT TIME: 09:05[CDT]|
| |LAST UPDATE DATE: 09/19/2001|
| CITY: METROPOLIS REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: MASSAC STATE: IL |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: SUB-526 AGREEMENT: Y |JOHN MADERA R3 |
| DOCKET: 04003392 |SUSAN FRANT NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: HUGH ROBERTS | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: FANGIE JONES | |
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|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|JBBE 40.60(b)(2) SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILUR| |
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EVENT TEXT
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| STANDBY DIESEL GENERATOR FAILED TO START AND IS UNAVAILABLE |
| |
| The licensee reported that a standby diesel generator failed to start in |
| manual and automatic during a test. The generator is unavailable as |
| redundant for required safety function. The generator is being worked on. |
| The plant is shutting down their processing until repairs are made. |
| |
| The licensee will submit a 30-day written report and is notifying NRC Region |
| 3. |
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 38297 |
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| FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/19/2001|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:04[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 09/19/2001|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 12:45[EDT]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 09/19/2001|
| CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |JOHN MADERA R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707002 |BRIAN SMITH NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: MCCLEERY | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NONR OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| AUTOCLAVE ISOLATION |
| |
| OTHER NON-CFR REQUIREMENT - 24 HOUR NOTIFICATION |
| |
| At 1245 hours on 09/19/01, both the "A" and "B" High Level Condensate probes |
| activated on Autoclave # 3 in the X-334 uranium hexafluoride Sampling |
| Facility causing a High Condensate Alarm. The activation of either of these |
| probes will cause the autoclave steam supply valves ("Q" components) to |
| actuate (close). The steam supply valves closed, as designed, autoclave # 3 |
| was in TSR Mode 2 (Heating) at the time of the alarm activation. Operations |
| personnel immediately responded to the alarm in accordance with the approved |
| Alarm Response Procedures. The alarm reset when operations personnel |
| drained excess condensate from autoclave drain line, and then acknowledged |
| the alarm at the local autoclave control panel. All autoclave (and |
| cylinder) operating parameters were determined to be within normal ranges. |
| Autoclave # 3 was placed in TSR mode 7 (Shutdown) by operations personnel |
| and declared inoperable by the Plant Shift Superintendent. Based on the |
| actuation of both High Level Condensate probes, this event is being reported |
| as a valid safety system actuation, a 24-hour NRC event. An Engineering |
| Evaluation has been requested to investigate the circumstances surrounding |
| this safety system actuation. |
| |
| The NRC Resident Inspector was notified of this event by the certificate |
| holder. |
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 38298 |
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| FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/19/2001|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:36[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 09/19/2001|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 10:06[EDT]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 09/19/2001|
| CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |JOHN MADERA R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707002 |ERIC LEEDS NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: MCCLEERY | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| NRC BULLETIN 91-01 24 NOTIFICATION |
| |
| During a meeting to discuss compensatory actions for PR-PTS-01-04202, |
| additional concerns were raised regarding compliance with the requirements |
| of NCSA-705-076. Specifically, exterior walls have openings (windows and |
| gaps) which could allow uranium bearing solution to spray outside the |
| facility and collect in an unfavorable geometry inadvertent container. A |
| walk down was performed. The findings resulted in a violation of control # |
| 3 of NCSA 705-76, inadvertent containers. Compliance with NCSA was |
| reestablished with the closure of windows, caulking of identified openings |
| and continued shutdown of system involved. |
| |
| SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS: |
| |
| The safety significance is low because there was no leak of uranium bearing |
| material! near the identified openings in the walls of the X-705. The two |
| areas in question are designated as "Inadvertent Container Area" due to the |
| presence of the Recovery System and Microfiltration, neither of which are |
| currently in operation due to a stand down of all X-705 operations. The |
| presence of an inadvertent container in the area is a violation of NCS |
| controls and one leg of the double contingency principle as described in |
| NCSE-0705 _076.E.03. |
| |
| POTENTIAL CRITICALITY PATHWAYS INVOLVED (BRIEF SCENARIO[S] OF HOW |
| CRITICALITY COULD OCCUR): |
| |
| For a criticality to occur, the following events would be required: The |
| recovery system or Microfiltration would have to be operating and processing |
| uranium bearing liquid with a high concentration of uranium. Then a leak in |
| this system must occur such that an unsafe amount of liquid sprays from the |
| system directly through an open window or through another penetration in the |
| building wall. The liquid would then have to flow or drip into a potentially |
| unfavorable geometry that may be present immediately adjacent to the outside |
| building wall. Depending on the volume collected, some reflection would |
| also be required to sustain a critical chain reaction The Recovery and |
| Microfiltration systems are not currently in operation. |
| |
| CONTROLLED PARAMETERS (MASS, MODERATION, GEOMETRY, CONCENTRATION. ETC.): |
| |
| Inadvertent containers are controlled based upon volume (2.5 liters maximum) |
| or geometry (1.5 inches in depth or 4 inches in diameter). The exact |
| potential collection volume for this event is unknown. Although analyzed |
| for 100% enriched materials, the Recovery System would Currently process |
| materiel with less than or equal to 5% enrichment |
| |
| ESTIMATED AMOUNT, ENRICHMENT, FORM OF LICENSED MATERIAL (INCLUDE PROCESS |
| LIMIT AND % WORST CASE OF CRITICAL MASS): |
| |
| No uranium bearing material was involved in this event. There were no leaks |
| of uranium bearing materiel in the area during this event. The event |
| involves the presence of an unsafe geometry (via an opening in the building |
| block wall) that could collect solution in the event of a spill. |
| |
| NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROL(S) OR CONTROL SYSTEM(S) AND DESCRIPTION |
| OF THE FAILURES OR DEFICIENCIES: |
| |
| The presence of holes in the exterior building walls could lead to the |
| collection of a spill or leak in the unfavorable geometry space. This is a |
| violation of control #3 of NCSA-0705_076, Inadvertent Containers, which |
| specifically evaluates this event. Compliance with inadvertent container |
| controls was reestablished for a shutdown Recovery system and for the |
| Microfiltration system (running or shutdown) within four hours of |
| discovery. |
| |
| CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO RESTORE SAFETY SYSTEM AND WHEN EACH WAS IMPLEMENTED: |
| |
| Compliance with the NCSA was reestablished with the closure of windows, |
| caulking of identified openings and continued shutdown of Systems involved. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 38299 |
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| FACILITY: CATAWBA REGION: 2 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/19/2001|
| UNIT: [] [2] [] STATE: SC |NOTIFICATION TIME: 22:12[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 09/19/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 20:15[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: P. MCINTYRE |LAST UPDATE DATE: 09/19/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |SCOTT SPARKS R2 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|ADEG 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A) DEGRADED CONDITION | |
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+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
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|2 N N 0 Refueling |0 Refueling |
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EVENT TEXT
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| BORIC RESIDUE BUILDUP |
| |
| Visual inspection of the Unit 2 Steam Generator 2B (SG 2B) lower head bowl |
| drain during the current refueling outage indicated boron residue buildup on |
| the 0.5" piping immediately below the SG. The total volume of residue was |
| approximately 1 cubic inch. The origin appears to be the partial |
| penetration of a weld between the reducing coupling and the lower head |
| shell. Exact location could not be conclusively determined at this time and |
| additional inspection using NDE will be conducted. Visual inspection of the |
| other three SG's was also conducted and no indications of leakage were |
| identified. State and Local officials will be given a courtesy call. |
| |
| |
| The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified by the licensee. |
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